Wrong About Me
by Rebellia
Summary: Motherless and isolated, Hinata vows to grow stronger despite the disapproval of her clan. But it takes an unexpected visitor and a lot of courage for the Lady Hyuuga to finally realize how strong she can be. NaruHina. T for innuendo and mild language.
1. Fledgling

I know, I know, it's been FOREVER. It's insane. The updates will come very quickly on this one, though, because I've already got 5 chapters written. It's a NaruHina, but very much an AU one. Hinata may be slightly OOC at times, because I wanted to make her a little bit tougher. I think she's still Hinata. Also, Naruto's slightly more...streetwise. But he's in a gang, so I think that makes sense too.

Naruto is Masashi Kishimoto's. The setting, and nothing else, is mine. Now I think I'm done delaying your reading. I'm very curious to see how this will be received.

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Lady Hyuuga Hinata would have been the last to confess her mixed feelings about the place into which she had been born, but that was only because she had learned from birth to hide any such feelings. To her, the Hyuuga castle meant home and school—and danger. Like any well-bred palace girl, she had her friends in the ornately grim halls of her home. The staff favored her over the rest of her noble family, mainly because the young heiress treated them like people rather than domesticated labor animals. She had attendants who were frivolous and superficial, but they were enjoyable company if you were in a good mood. Hinata thought of them as friends because she had enough enemies that adding a few extra names into the other category could only help her.

This didn't trouble Hinata unduly. She was a keenly intelligent girl, and the frequent battles of verbal steel with various members of her family had come to be another form of entertainment for her. Overall, she thought, the most useful thing she had ever learned was by far the ability to defend herself in the field of discussion while pretending to be unaware of the attacks. The Hyuuga family would defend her virtue and her livelihood, but the first of the two was in no danger and the second was trivial to Hinata. She was nobility, and most concerned with her pride, reputation, and character, though the latter was rare in one of her position. The Hyuuga would have marginalized Hinata into the role of a dutiful and maidenly puppet that they could both show off to visitors and control with ease if she was ever truly permitted to receive her birthright, but Hinata had both subtly and emphatically resisted their efforts. Her family spurned her and isolated her, but she could tell they feared her, too. She was proud of that.

The Hyuuga adults could be used for protection and advancement, even if that advancement was always gradual and reluctant. Hinata's maidenly façade prompted her family to give her things she wanted or needed without much questioning, and her iron will kept them respectful enough to listen to her if she was insistent enough. Hinata's quiet determination also kept the others constantly suspicious, but she was careful enough with her strengths that those cold figures could only suspect without proof. She was clever—her whole life had been a battle where she was expected to fight with a sheathed sword. Hinata had once been a sweet, shy, dependent girl who was sickeningly obedient, but that had changed with the death of the last person who truly cared about her—her mother.

Aleya Hyuuga was as strong as her daughter appeared weak. She died defending her home from an assassin when her father was hospitalized with a wound. For five years before she died, starting on Hinata's sixth birthday, Aleya had summoned her daughter each day for lessons in strength and poise. The girl was shy and hesitant, afraid to take risks or even call attention to herself. When she saw her brave, strong mother's death occur without acknowledgment or ceremony because Aleya was an in-law, Hinata began to take those lessons to heart. She had grown strong, and just a little cold. The local boys were awed by her, but they feared her too. She didn't care. Hinata had seen her mother die for a man, and saw that same man refuse to defy propriety to honor her death. She would take no suitor, no chauvinistic nobleman courting her for looks and dowry.

_If I am ever loved, it will be for who I am. _

It was the day after the Midsummer Feast, a grandly boring affair that everyone on the mountain—the Hyuuga, their entourage, and a few neighboring clans—was to attend. Hinata had danced and smiled as much as any girl, while still managing to avoid any pursuits that she perceived in the wine-addled brains of the young men around her. Until you're positive you found the right one, the only way you should ever touch a man between his legs is to kick him there, her mother had once told her. Aleya could be vulgar, and she never sheltered her daughter from unpleasant truths. Though Hinata hadn't learned the value of her mother's teachings until Aleya was dead, they governed her life now. She spun nimbly out of the boys' reaches, and blushed shyly if anyone spoke to her. Well did Hinata remember shyness, and she used those memories to guide her away from the idle flirtation. One day, she told herself, I'll find someone who knows how to flirt as a man and not a bull. Until then, I stay away from the games of shallow boys. Their horns are dangerous.

The sun set slowly the next day, and Hinata watched it ease gradually over the horizon. The feast had gone well, and the Hyuuga was gaining influence. Economically, nothing much was different, but the heiress noticed that the servants were receiving better wages. She approved, because Aleya had always reminded her that servants were _people_, and people are dangerous when they're unhappy. All the same, there was no hint of unhappiness in the castle that day, and everyone went to bed content that those in the Hyuuga household were as well-off as anyone could be.

But this certainty was blown aside that night in the mind of one young woman, who, upon hearing the unmistakable sound of foreign footsteps climbing her stairs, realized that improving the Hyuuga security might be a prudent idea. The stairs were long, and Hinata's hearing was good, so she had a few minutes to prepare for the unidentified visitor. The only way to evade him was a near-suicidal jump off the balcony of her tower. She would have to bluff her way out of this one.

Thinking quickly, Hinata used the resources she had to her advantage. Using all she'd heard from the books her attendants gushed about, she created the image of a beautifully helpless captive and set about making herself look the part. Briskly, Hinata picked a lacy white nightgown and stripped out of her more practical sleepwear to put the thing on. It was somewhat revealing, but it was the best she had. With that same efficiency, Hinata fixed her hair, arranging it so it was just mussed enough to suggest innocence. She lay restlessly on the bed, waiting for whoever it was.

Before too long, she heard the expected hands picking her lock. When the door burst open, she gave a very convincing gasp of surprise and curled up next to her pillow. Through forcedly wide eyes, she looked her intruder over—and had to bite her lip to keep from gasping again. Unruly blonde hair, wicked sky-colored eyes, whisker marks across tan cheeks…it had to be.

Hinata knew who the man in her bedchambers was. Everyone on the mountain would have recognized him. Her eyes swept across the deceptively innocent face of one of the most dangerous criminals in the area. Shinobi was a gang of teenagers Hinata's age that were famous for terrorizing nobility, and had gained notoriety all over the mountain. Naruto was one of the ringleaders.

"You're Uzumaki Naruto," she whispered, not needing to overact her astonishment much. He raised a golden eyebrow. She could see the predatory satisfaction he took from situations like these. Sick, Hinata thought, cornering a defenseless girl in her own room and calling it sport. She straightened up a little. But I am not as defenseless as I seem. Her musings were curtailed by the boy's reply.

"You've heard of me." It wasn't a question. He walked towards her with trouble in his smile, and bowed jauntily in a way that could only have been a mockery. "I'm sure none of it was good. Your father hates me." His tone was bright, as if he was an invited guest at a party.

"Why are you here?" Hinata stammered, trying to sound afraid. She inched backwards against the bed, and he watched her with amusement.

"Only information, milady," he said with a reassurance that any woman without Hinata's self-possession might have found seductive. She felt Naruto's eyes sweep over her seemingly afraid posture. "Though I'm not sure I came to the right place." Almost despite herself, Hinata raised her head to meet his eyes. Just before she would have given herself away, she smothered her indignation. It's praise that he's so fooled, she told herself firmly. Never mind that mother would have a knife at his throat by now. She's dead, and I have to handle this my way. But how can I keep him interested enough to keep me alive? And as she wondered, she thought of an idea that made her smile.

"What do you want to know?" The question emerged somewhere between a purr and a murmur. She leaned forward a bit, trying to make the action seem unconscious. Hinata felt the front of her nightgown slide downwards as the lace on her leg crawled a bit up her thigh. Naruto's eyes widened a little, and she felt his gaze move away from her posture. Almost curious, she looked discreetly at the scene in the vanity. Naruto's eyes were fixed on her, but not her eyes. It was safe. Casually, Hinata noted the appearance she took. It seemed to be working, so it was something to remember.

Her hair was hanging in wisps down her bare neck. The nightgown was nearly falling off one marble shoulder, and a light blush swept the ivory skin of her cheeks. Elegant legs crossed perfectly, almost fully shown when the cream silk of the nightgown halted mid-thigh. From the thief's standing position, Hinata was sure Naruto could see an indecent amount of what the deep V of her nightgown was supposed to hide. She took in her beauty easily, waiting for him to respond.

"I wanted to know the layout of the castle," he said. "Everyone says you can't get in." He scoffed a little, and Hinata's blush deepened a calculated shade as she thought of how easily he'd come through her door. Thinking of an easy way to get him caught, Hinata rose from the bed and walked to the balcony in a way designed to call his attention to her. She brushed his shoulder with the lace neck of her nightgown, and he followed her. They stood facing each other, the wind raising the gown's hem still further and ruffling his hair. It was a warm night, and Hinata could hear echoes of merry chatter from the corners of the castle. He's a fool if he thinks I'll give away the secrets of my own home, she thought. "What are you going to show me?" Naruto asked, a hint of desire shading the edge of the question. He met her gaze.

"You're not the first man in my bedroom," she told him with just a hint of boldness in her face. Turning away, she pointed out at the guard towers littering the grounds. "But you're the first to break in. The guards are my father's best." She had to sound shy but matter-of-fact, not arrogant or even deliberately flirtatious. Naruto was just a man, even if he was a clever one. Her nightgown and her blush were flirtation enough.

"There are ways in, though, I'm sure." She looked at him, gauging the innocence of his remark. Idly, she took in his appearance in the same way she did her own. He _was _attractive, she supposed, if she were the type to get attracted. The hair was blowing gently over lively blue eyes, and he was strong—she could see bold muscles beneath his vest. Yet the eyes that stared back at her showed a dangerous interest in her response.

"I'm not allowed out much," she admitted softly. "I see how my friends get through, and not much more. You'd probably be much cleverer than them, though," she kept her tone neutral, not wanting to lay it on too thick. She spoke of the palace's impregnability while stealthily easing towards the alarm bell by one of her many windows.

"I wonder how good your guards are," he mused. Hinata grinned to herself. Want to find out?

"Well," she said, "I don't know," and with that, she reached quickly for the bell rope.

She underestimated Naruto's speed. He grabbed her wrist before she could pull but one of the alarm rings. One signaled nothing, and Hinata knew the guards would assume a bird had knocked it. Looking in Naruto's eyes, she saw a flash of steel and felt the tiniest flicker of fear.

"You were going to call the Eagles on me, weren't you?" He used the street nickname for the Hyuuga guards, and his voice was frighteningly soft. It made Hinata shiver. "That's not very fair, birdling." What could have been a term of endearment was almost a threat from his lips. "They can fly, and I can't." As quick as he grabbed her hand, she felt the flat of a dagger burn ice into the shadowed place between her breasts, right over her heart. She made to scream, but he covered her mouth with a broad hand.

"I can't fly either," she replied, hissing to make the words intelligible. She pressed against the knife just slightly enough to draw a little stream of blood. When it hit the ground in a puddle, she traced whiskers discreetly onto the floor so they would know who he was. If he killed her, she wanted him hanged for it. He drew back when he saw her bleeding, but didn't notice what she had done with the blood. Keeping the knife close enough to threaten, he put a steady finger to the cut. As he spoke, he drew lines across her cheek with terrible softness until she was whiskered, like him.

"No, you can't. You whore your way along until someone will help you, and you don't stand up for yourself. I can see hints of someone with a spine in you, but you hide her." He regarded her with blank eyes. "I knew your mother, and you're nothing like her."

Naruto's words struck a nerve. He's wrong about me, Hinata told herself fiercely. But, a little voice in her head whispered, is he really? That's all you've done so far. _No._ She fought with herself, confidence and self-dislike warring in her mind. _Stop. _Hinata didn't care who won the argument. If Hinata was going to prove herself, she had to get out of the mess she was in. Letting her anger guide her, she decided to act. Hinata made a quick decision. She gasped at his touch with all apparent helplessness. Then, as Naruto drew his hand away from her cheek, she grabbed the pinky of the hand over her mouth and pulled until he let go, using his surprise to take his knife. Holding the blade aloft, she let all the fire she'd been keeping back burn out through her eyes. He leapt onto the railing, away from the weapon. I should kill him for what he's said, she thought. Yet even as she held the knife steady, she realized that she couldn't kill Naruto for a few reasons. For one thing, she couldn't explain how she'd been able to overpower him when her whole family thought of her as weak. He knew her mother, and that was a subject of constant interest for Hinata. And finally, he'd treated her like a person, rather than a mistress or a doll. But just because she wouldn't kill him didn't mean she would show mercy.

"You're wrong about me. I'm not a whore, and I won't sell you this palace's secrets for anything. This is my home. Leave it _now._" With her final words, she shoved him from the railing with all her strength. Hinata heard him land on his hands and knees.

"My apologies," he whispered up at her. "I mistook you for a lady." She didn't know how he did it, but suddenly his voice was at her ear. "I'll have to call again to see what kind of girl you really are." Then he was gone.

_Sometimes you need to be pushed from the tree in order to fly. And sometimes you realize you had wings all along. _

Kind of a cliffhanger, but don't worry, the next chapter will be up quite soon, though sadly, Naruto's not in it.

The line at the end is my own invention. The bird/cage/flight analogy will show up again, I'm sure. It just fits the Hyuuga so well, and the Hyuuga are quite prominent in this story.

Until Next Time,

Rebellia


	2. Flying Exercises

This next chapter is different from the first in one big way--Naruto doesn't show up. This one is Hinata, and the beginnings of her training. There are also a couple of OCs in this, but they're not a huge part of the story, though they are a pretty big chapter. Just figured you should be warned, because I know some people object to OCs.

Also, I'm not quite sure about how I write Hinata. Feedback on that would be lovely.

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Hinata woke up the following morning with a start. She was too grounded in reality to wonder if the previous night's events had been a dream. Even if she had, the dried blood on her cheeks and the cut on her chest were evidence to the contrary. Briskly, she cleaned herself off and went out to scrub the blood from the railing. When she got there, the stone railing was damp and there was no blood. Hinata guessed that it had rained the night before, and was glad that Nature had washed away the traces of Uzumaki Naruto for her.

She stretched luxuriously. Last night had been tiring, and she was determined to relax for the morning, at least. Pulling on a violet dress that her mother always used to compliment, she idly picked a book off her shelves and began to read. Hinata read through the whole morning, giving her nerves and her body the necessary time to recover from the shocks of Naruto's visit before she had to face any people.

The book was a fairly predictable mystery, and Hinata finished it before the official breakfast hour. She slipped down to the kitchen to eat her customarily early meal. Sure enough, a girl stood there with a tray that bore Hinata's favorite foods. The heiress smiled at the familiar sight of it. The girl holding the tray was eyeing it hungrily, and Hinata was feeling generous. She met the girl's eyes and smiled, hoping she wasn't frightening.

"That's far too much food for me. Would you be kind enough to help me eat it?" Hinata's voice was gentle, and the girl warmed to her. She nodded shyly, and the pair walked out the back doors of the kitchen into a courtyard. Hinata sat on a bench and gestured for the girl to sit behind her. Nervously adjusting her bangs to hide the Branch Family seal, Hinata's companion sat. In the full light of the sun, Hinata was able to recognize her. The Hyuuga lady knew the girl's story; she wore it on her sleeve like a badge, and it had reached up even to the ears of her father.

The girl's name was Mara, and she was rumored to be one of the prettiest girls in the village. Hinata had never noticed, but she had seen how Mara walked with a pride uncommon in most servant girls of the palace. It stood out. Then, the story went, an older man from another village had noticed the beauty and decided to remedy the pride. He'd dragged Mara into an alley one festival day, and raped her. The men Mara spurned expected her to be broken and more yielding after that, but Mara refused to be ashamed. Instead, she started taking self-defense classes every day, and tried to encourage her friends to do the same. Then, when that same man set his eyes on her sister, Mara followed him and was able to stop him before her story repeated itself. Thinking of how easily Naruto had overpowered her when she tried to pull the bell, Hinata broke their comfortable silence with a question.

"Your name is Mara, am I right?" The girl blushed a little. Hinata saw pride and a hint of shame mix in the pink of the girl's face, shame for the loss of her innocence and pride in the strength that saved her sister. Saying Mara's name was like asking her if the story was true.

"Yes," Mara said softly. Hinata nodded and continued.

"Then you must be the girl who was upstart enough to take self-defense classes with the men," she said. When Mara turned a furious shade of red, Hinata laughed gently to show she wasn't serious. Mara relaxed a little, and Hinata resumed her delicate questioning. "So, if I was interested in becoming your kind of upstart, where could I find such classes?" Mara looked shocked for a moment, but warmed to the conversation quickly enough.

"You wouldn't have to do what I did, milady. After…" she trailed off, and Hinata could figure out what she meant. "Well, there are classes just for girls now. Ma's got one every noontime in the cellar. She'd prolly let you join." There were classes just for girls? That was perfect.

"Thank you," Hinata said sincerely. "I'll talk to your Ma about joining one." Mara smiled.

"I'll see you there, if you do," she said shyly. Discovering that the breakfast was finished, Hinata and Mara both rose.

"You'll see me, I promise," Hinata answered. With that, Mara left for the kitchen, and Hinata walked out of the courtyard to trail the spy who had been listening in on their conversation.

It was clear that the man was a Hyuuga, so he must be reporting to her father. Hinata walked behind him so quietly that he didn't notice her. Sure enough, he stopped at her father's chambers. Hinata hid quickly in another corridor so he wouldn't see her when he turned around to make sure no one watched him. Then he slipped into the room. Her father asked him for news, and he relayed the conversation and all else that had happened. When pressed as to why Hinata had taken this choice, the spy said he didn't know. Ask me yourself, Hinata thought. Then, with a boldness that must have been leftover from the past night, Hinata knocked on the door with both her father and the spy still in the room

"I'm busy," Hiyashi said brusquely.

"But Father, I have something to tell you," Hinata said with deliberate timidity. She heard Lord Hyuuga sigh, and the spy let her in. She curtseyed politely at her father's feet, then raised her head to look him fearlessly in the eye.

"What do you want?" His tone was as sharp as ever. _You don't scare me. _

"I thought you should know I'd signed up for self-defense classes, sir," she said. The irony in her voice was detectable, but she wondered if her father thought her too stupid to realize the topic of the conversation she had interrupted.

"Why?" Hiyashi asked frankly. Hinata had already decided that she didn't want Hiyashi knowing about Naruto, so she had to invent a reason.

"I was t-talking to a servant girl…Mara…and the Midsummer's Feast was yesterday, so I was th-thinking about it. Some village boys aren't thinking when they are drunk. I want to be able to stay…" she blushed violently, and knew her father would catch her meaning "…Until I'm m-married." Then she tilted her head downwards, and looked up cautiously through her lashes to see her father's reaction.

The Hyuuga man looked bored. "If that is what you wish, there is no harm in it." He turned to dismiss the spy, and Hinata refused to acknowledge the man with a curtsey. Hiyashi frowned at her insolence, but continued. "But are there no classes for noble women? I hate to think of you running about with commoners." Father, you know how the nobles keep their women, Hinata thought derisively. Don't be a fool.

"N-no, Father. I'm sorry," she said back. He nodded.

"Then you may go." She curtseyed and left, glad to get that over with. Hinata hated being spied on, but it had given her the chance to be brave with her father, just a little more than usual. The small victory gave her pleasure. She smiled as she walked to the stables. Mara's mother managed the palace horses, and Hinata knew her to be a fair woman. The heiress hoped that Nami would understand.

The Hyuuga stables were neat and cleaner than most, with strong wood framing and a legion of glossy-maned horses tossing their heads proudly. Every Hyuuga horse had a streak of wildness in it, and you either handled it or you didn't ride. Aleya was a splendid rider, and Hinata had inherited the skill. Mara was new to the post, but stories of the Lady Hyuuga's kindness to horses were common palace talk. Hinata hoped it would serve her well.

"Hello?" Hinata called softly. Her voice bounced gently around the stable walls. After a moment, a head stuck out of one stall.

"Yes?" Mara looked very like her mother, with dark eyes, light brown hair in waves, and an unmistakable dignity in her walk. "Hello, Lady Hyuuga." Hinata curtseyed in unison with Nami, and she saw the older woman raise her eyebrow. Still, the horse mistress was pleased, and her smile gave Hinata strength to continue.

"Mara says you teach self-defense classes?" It came out as a question, and Nami nodded. She seemed puzzled by the turn of conversation, but the woman was not intimidated by Hinata. The Hyuuga approved.

"Yes, I do."

"I was wondering if you had an opening in a beginner's class." Nami looked up at her in frank confusion. "For me?" Hinata added, and Nami understood. She shook her head. Hinata was disappointed, but Nami's smile was reassuring.

"The beginners' classes are for girls in the village with nothing in their head but daisy petals, the ones who can't tell a dagger from a butter knife. You're no skittish child, and I think you'd be better off in the middle classes." Nami realized that she was speaking to a lady, and quickly added, "If that agrees with you." Hinata nodded. She hadn't realized that the servants knew her better than her family. It was heartening to realize someone saw that she wasn't useless. _If _she wasn't useless. Though Naruto's visit had been interesting, it brought back Hinata's insecurities. I am not weak, she thought. And Nami agrees with me.

"Thank you. I'll sign up for the middle level class, if that's what you want. When does it start?" Nami looked up at the large clock in the stables. She stared at it for a few moments, then snorted in disgust and eyed the sun. The clocks were new, and most people turned up their noses at them. Hinata had figured out how to read one, but she could rely on the sun and the palace schedule for time just as well as anyone.

"The class begins in about half an hour." Hinata smiled. She found herself looking forward to the prospect of learning how to fight. "Do you want to come as yourself, or would there be a better way for you, Lady?" Hinata thought. It was tempting to go in disguise. She would be a distraction to the others if she didn't. Better to let them know what kind of girl I am, Hinata decided.

"No, I think I'll be myself." She laughed. "I don't get much chance." The older woman's face softened.

"I dare say you don't," she said. Then she checked the time again. "I should probably get back to work, I'm afraid."

"Thank you for agreeing to take me on." Nami waved aside the praise.

"See you then!" Hinata smiled, and left with a much better outlook on the day.

She returned to her rooms and found a note there from Hebi, the woman who was supposed to instruct her in the business of becoming a Hyuuga lady. Hinata and Hebi rarely spoke, as the two despised each other immensely. All the same, this was the first time the forbidding woman hadn't shown up at all. Hinata wasn't unhappy about this.

The note told her to practice her curtsey for ten minutes—it included an odious list of pointers that Hinata read with the air of someone taking particularly awful cough medicine—and then to work on her embroidery. After the ten minutes crawled by, Hinata worked on the pillow she was making for the next fifteen. The instant she saw the clock on the wall read five 'till, Hinata leapt up and fairly ran down to the cellar.

She was not the first to get there, but she wasn't late. Nami was standing in the front of a big, dark room with forbidding stone floors and walls. Hinata filed in with the others. She stood in the back, but the whispers followed her there. Not wanting to seem stuck-up, Hinata walked shyly up to a girl who was talking about her. The girl curtseyed, black skirt not reaching the ground. It was a practical sort of skirt, the one you could run in. Everyone eyed Hinata's dress with wonder. It was a cumbersome thing, pretty and impractical. Bluntly, the girl voiced her question.

"Lady, how are you going to fight in that?" Hinata found herself blushing a little. Are you going to let your shyness make you stupid? She admonished herself. Talk.

"What if I need to, someday? I should learn in this, in case I do." The girl in the black skirt nodded with approval, and Hinata saw Nami do the same. All whispers died then, and Hinata was glad she had won at least a bit of respect.

"All right girls, it's time." Nami's voice rang through the room without being a shout. "Start running." Hinata was confused at first, but when she saw the girls start jogging single-file along the perimeter of the room, she caught on. The first fifteen minutes of the class were spent on exercises meant to boost strength. Hinata was far behind most of the ladies, but they didn't seem to resent her for slowing them down. They respected her for showing up at all, and seemed to like the way she took their suggestions and corrections without complaint. Hinata was angry at herself for being slow, but she vowed to work as hard as everyone else to catch up. I will do this, she promised herself.

When the exercises were over, Mara paired the women up to work on self-defense. Hinata was partnered with the girl in the black skirt, who introduced herself as Hataka. Nami ran them through the basic scenario with another older woman as her partner. Hinata paid close attention, and was able to master the grip break that they were working on in a respectable amount of time. Once the last girl had gotten it, Nami moved them onto another technique, and another, and another. They worked this way for two hours, and by the end Hinata was sore and exhausted. The girls ended with a few relaxation exercises, which helped. After those, Nami dismissed the girls, giving Hinata an almost imperceptible look that told her to wait. Hinata walked as slowly as she could to the door until she and Nami were alone.

"I have something for you, Lady Hinata," Nami said.

"You don't have to call me 'Lady,' Nami-sensei," Hinata pointed out, letting the honorific make her point for her. Nami laughed.

"True," she said. "Also—Hinata—you shouldn't feel bad about being behind. Most of these girls had been working for months, and they were where you are now when they started this class. They don't resent you for it, and they probably understand how you feel right now." Nami reached into a bag she held at her waist and pulled out a jar of what looked like ointment. "This is for you."

"I don't need special treatment," Hinata said, not taking it. Nami smiled.

"They're standard-issue for these classes. You're just new, so you hadn't gotten yours yet." Even with that reassurance, Hinata was reluctant to take the jar. Her teacher sighed.

"It's to help your muscles relax. You'll be in a lot of pain tomorrow." Hinata didn't mind pain. She needed to get stronger. Nami must have seen her determination, because she sighed. "At the very least, put in on that cut. Sweat can infect things sometimes." With that, Hinata took the jar.

"Thank you," she said to her teacher. Nami nodded.

"I have to go back to the stables now. You did well today." After anxious worrying that people would take her for a pretty little nothing that signed up as a lark, the praise was more relief than the ointment would have been.

"Thank you," Hinata said again, and they parted ways, Nami to the stables and Hinata too her room. She had some practicing to do.

Practice Hinata did. Whenever she was done with the requirements of Hebi's notes, Hinata worked herself until she began to suspect that her muscles hated her. Everyone in the class seemed astonished by her progress, and in about a week and a half she was at the front of the class. Nami pulled her aside again one day, grinning, and told her that she could move up to the advanced class if she wanted. Hinata of course, took her up on it.

"I told you that you'd see me," a grinning Mara told her on her first day of advanced class. Hinata nodded and smiled. But, she wondered, when will I see that idiot I'm practicing for?

It was another half a week before she found out.

_Even the best flyers need practice _

I don't think this chapter was as good as the last because it wasn't nearly as exciting, but it's definitely important to the story, and I like watching Hinata grow. Hopefully you do too. And if you're only reading this for Naruto (you should know better because Hinata's amazing, but) he's in the next one, don't worry.

Until Next Time,

Rebellia


	3. Leaving the Nest

This is the latest chapter; it's been a WHILE. I think this chapter is more true to Hinata, or at least I hope so. But tell me what _you _think?

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Hinata wasn't the type to get annoyed easily, but she was beginning to get impatient with Naruto. She'd only met him once, but he had made a powerful impression. His visit was the most interesting life had been in a while. He's just a criminal, she reminded herself. Don't get stupid. But, another part of her argued back, he knows what respect means. And he knows me better than anyone else, I think. She laughed. Not that that's saying much. Checking the clock, Hinata realized that she had class in twenty minutes and Hebi's note had one more thing for her to do. Groaning, she set to work, inwardly scolding herself for letting Naruto interrupt her thoughts. Firmly, she shoved him to the back of her mind. Hinata was curious about Naruto, but she refused to let it make her silly. She finished her sewing and went to class without thinking of him again.

If Hinata had thought the intermediate class was the hardest things could get, she'd been hopelessly naïve. In the advanced class, everything was more difficult and less explained. Nami worked the girls harder than Hinata had ever been used to, and expected no complaint. After the end of Hinata's first class, Nami deliberately would not meet her eyes. Hinata knew what it meant; Nami had nothing to say to her, and she should leave as she normally did. The heiress walked out of the room with a smile on her face. No longer was she a special circumstance in the eyes of her teacher. As a self-defense student, she needed no extra conversations to adjust. The others were used to her within the first two days of class, and she wasn't slowing them down. The next two days after that passed with lots of work, very little of it ladylike. Hinata felt stronger, and less ashamed of herself. She could face herself in the mirror without thinking herself undeserving of her mother's legacy. Hyuuga Hinata was coming into her own. She was and always had been harsh on herself, but she knew this.

After her fourth day of self-defense class, Hinata went to bed as normal. Now that vigorous exercise was part of her routine, she slept much more soundly. This time, the steady, quiet footsteps of feet scaling the wall of her tower went unheard. It wasn't until Naruto landed on her balcony that Hinata awoke. When she realized what had interrupted her sleep, she quickly got to her feet and leaned against the wall nearest the window Naruto was bound to enter through. As he did, Hinata struck him quickly in the stomach before he landed. She followed the strike with a punch to the nose, and pinned his throat with her foot as she fell.

"Call me weak again," she said quietly. Naruto smiled ruefully and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. She let him up, and instantly his hand was at _her _throat.

"You're a quick learner, Lady," he said gently. "But whoever's been teaching you doesn't fight street." Hinata raised her eyebrows. He did have a point. Naruto was rumored to have demonic levels of strength; she hadn't expected to overpower him after working for two weeks. All the same, he'd acknowledged her growth. It made her smile.

"Yes," she admitted. He laughed, and his thumb moved away from its hold on her neck to toy gently with her ear. Hinata shook her head in annoyance, but Naruto didn't listen. His hand moved away from her throat entirely, and calloused fingers brushed her cheekbones.

"You washed off the whiskers," he said. His voice was hurt, but his eyes were laughing. Hinata decided that he was joking.

"It's been two weeks," she reminded him, trying to sound stern and failing.

"You've been counting," he said delightedly. Hinata kicked herself inwardly, but wasn't too upset. It was easy to remember why she enjoyed his company—but first she had to make him let go of her.

"Maybe I have," she breathed, leaning closer to him. As he leaned forwards in response, she grabbed his wrist and ducked out of his grasp. "And maybe you should be careful," she told him bravely.

"That's unfair," he told her. "_I've _been counting." That revelation took her by surprise.

"Why?" Hinata asked, honestly curious. Naruto considered only a moment before he answered.

"Because you're more interesting to talk to then the kids out there," he said, gesturing out the window. "And you're not scared of me. You don't hate me—"

"We'll see," Hinata allowed. Naruto laughed.

"—I _know _you don't hate me," he said, voice brimming with a bottomless store of confidence. "Besides, I told you I want to figure you out. You're shy, but I can tell you're not scared. One day, you'd be a good Sister." That little speech had Hinata reeling with two many questions.

"Shy? Sister?" Hinata sounded as confused as she felt. Naruto smiled, and explained.

"On the street, the girls are all over you if you're one of us. They want protection…and they think we're cool," he said with a hint of boastfulness. "You're not like that."

"I'm not." It wasn't a question. Naruto nodded at Hinata's agreement, and continued.

"And Sister means…one of us, a Shinobi." Hinata was still confused, and he must have seen it on her face. "If you're a Sister or a Brother, you're running with the gang." She understood then. Should she be flattered or shocked? Hinata didn't know, and the two emotions clashed inside her for a momentary silence.

"I'd just slow you down," she finally said. Naruto shook his head.

"Not many girls can pin _me_, even when I'm not looking for it. Like I said earlier, you just have to unlearn fighting fair." Hinata smiled. Naruto, my whole _life _I've learned not to fight fair, she thought. Her answer to that was a swift kick between the legs that Naruto could only partially dodge. The boy doubled over for a moment before standing up again with a grin. "That's a good start," he allowed.

"Thank you?" Hinata had expected him to be angry, but he seemed to constantly be smiling. It was a welcome change from the stone disapproval of the Hyuuga.

"Maybe that's the right thing to say. But never forget I can do this," he said, and in an instant he was kissing her.

_That is _certainly _not fighting fair. _Hinata found herself pressed against the wall, and while her position was tactically sound in fighting, it was hurting her now. It wasn't unpleasant. Naruto's hands rose again to her face, and he wasn't hurting her. If she hadn't been trapped, she might not have felt so strongly about escaping. But she _was_ trapped, and Hinata felt herself burning with frustration. Struggling wasn't helping. Naruto's eyes searched her face, and when he saw her emotions there he pulled away in a flash. To her embarrassment, Hinata found herself falling. A tear swam in one eye, but she furiously blinked it away and stood up.

"Sorry, sorry," Naruto said, and a deaf man could have known he was sincere. Hinata found him far too easy to forgive.

"Th-thank you for the teaching. I'll remember it," Hinata nearly whispered. She hated herself for stuttering, but it had slipped out. Naruto looked into her eyes, searching what muted versions of her feelings he could find there.

"I didn't expect you to be so _mad_," he eventually said.

"I wasn't. I just felt weak, being trapped," Hinata explained. Naruto nodded understandingly.

"So I'll make sure you're willing next time," he said brightly. Hinata gasped. And she'd thought the village boys had nerve! He laughed at the shock on her face. "I'm trying to make you brave, Hinata. Scaring you is a good way to do that." At that, she had to laugh. Was it impossible to win with him? She realized then that he'd used her first name, something no one but her mother had ever done. Remembering what he'd said on his last visit, her head swam with questions again.

"You knew my mother?" He nodded.

"Yeah. She…do you want to know, really?" His voice seemed…pained, apologetic? Hinata wasn't sure. But she knew one thing.

"Please tell me," she asked.

"All right," he said. "But don't be angry with her. She was the best." He sighed quietly. "Your mom was in love with our leader, Hatake Kakashi. The assassin that killed her had already gotten through him on his way into the palace. They both died the same day, and now an older one of us leads. One day it's gonna be me, though." Hinata didn't know what to think. Her mother had been in love with another man? Did it _matter_? Both Hyuuga women knew that Hiyashi started a family because he had to. Hinata felt as though she had no father, and Aleya must have felt the same about her husband.

"I'm not angry," she said honestly. "My father wasn't a very good husband." Naruto snarled at that, and Hinata leaned back against the wall a little. Then she leaned forwards again. She refused to be frightened. Naruto must have sensed her fear, because he relaxed and explained.

"Aleya always said that he was a bad husband, and a worse leader."

"Why?" Hinata asked.

"The Branch Family," Naruto said, and his voice was harsh. "He keeps all these people in cages because the _Main Family _wants it! They don't need the protection; they just want to keep their own family down." His eyes burned with anger, and Hinata wasn't afraid. This time, she knew what he meant.

"I know," she said. "It's awful." She looked him straight in the eyes, wanting him to see her as a person and not the daughter of a man he hated. "My mother made me promise a long time ago that I would change that when I took power. I won't break that promise to her, or to myself." Naruto grinned.

"I can see the old Hyuuga spinning in their graves right now." Visualizing it, Hinata smiled too.

"It's true," she said, "But that wasn't what I meant. I meant, if she didn't love my father, why did she die for him?" Understanding dawned in Naruto's eyes.

"She told us she couldn't let the old fart die yet, because if he did, there was no way you'd be the head of the family. She talked about you a lot—all good things. It's mostly why I came." Hinata smiled. It was good to hear from an outside source that her mother thought highly of her. She let a peaceful silence pass between them as she pondered that.

The moment was broken by the chiming of the clock. Looking out the window, they could both see that the sky was lightening visibly.

"If you're caught…" Hinata trailed off.

"They won't catch me," Naruto said boldly. He looked down. "But I should go." He leaned forward and pressed a piece of paper into her hand.

"What's this?" Hinata asked.

"It's our sign," Naruto explained. "There are fourteen of us, counting me. You should learn who we are—I want you to meet them all someday, and you'd better be ready. See how many of us you can find. You're gonna get your skirts dirty, but you need to learn to _really _fight, so it'll just help." Hinata wondered whether "need" was the right word, but she just dismissed it as another one of Naruto's tricks, something he was teaching her to keep himself entertained. She couldn't say she minded. Learning to fight was more useful than all the embroidery in the world.

"I'll try," Hinata promised. "How much time will I have?" Naruto thought briefly before replying to the question.

"I wanted to come back soon, but we're not easy to find. I'll give you a week and a half?"

"Okay," Hinata agreed. Naruto smiled.

"Good luck," he said, and walked outside. Hinata followed him this time.

"Until next week, Naruto," she said, trying out his name like a new perfume, one she liked.

"See you around, Hinata." And with that, he was gone.

Hinata walked slowly back into her room, opening the paper as she went. She looked at the sign—a spiral with a triangle attached to the end, looking almost like a snail shell. Hinata had never seen it before, and she sighed. She wanted to meet Naruto's challenge, but she had no idea how. So she sat on her bed and thought, until a loud knock rang out on her door. Quickly, she ran to open it.

Hyuuga Neji stared back at her with barely concealed spite. Hinata shivered. Neji was her cousin, but he _hated _her, hated everything about the Main Family. Hinata didn't know why he was here, but she knew it couldn't be good for her. She feared Neji, but she pitied him too. He always seemed so alone.

"Hello, Neji," she said quietly. He didn't bother with pleasantries.

"Someone was here," he almost hissed.

"Yes," Hinata admitted softly.

"Lady Hinata, you had a visitor in your room after midnight. Who _was _it?" Hinata knew she was in trouble now. Neji wasn't a snitch, but he hated her enough to tell her father. If she told the truth, it would probably be easier for her.

"Uzumaki Naruto," she said simply, and couldn't help but take a bit of pleasure in the shock on Neji's usually masked face.

"What was he doing? If you're not lying to me," Neji said quickly. Hinata kept the smile from her eyes with effort. The truth, she told herself.

"He was teaching me how to fight," she told Neji without fear.

"Prove it," Neji commanded. Hinata's instinct was to obey, but her mother's voice reminded her that she owed Neji nothing. She was not the reason he was sealed, and she would help him one day. Until then, she just had to keep him from endangering her. Hinata refused to meet Neji's eyes, staring instead at his forehead. The conversation between her and Naruto had clearly woken him, because the skin above his cold eyes was unbandaged. She could see his seal, a poisonous green X with lines in the center of his forehead.

…And, just below the X, a little spiral with a triangle at the end.

"It's a long story," Hinata finally replied, almost apologetically. "If you'd like to sit down, I'll tell you." Nodding curtly, Neji walked past her and sat down in the chair by her bed. Hinata followed him, hiding her smile.

Now she had a place to start.

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There will sadly be a lot of cliffies in this story, just because I've written it like that. So brace yourself xP

The next chapter will (hopefully) be up sooner than this one--I've got tons of stories to update. I start too many projects without finishing them. But this one I have all planned out, so it should be okay. I don't know the length yet, but it probably won't be enormous. We'll see, though.

Until Next Time,

Rebellia


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